College, Careers, & the Common Core

by Dr. David T. Conley

WhatEveryEducatorNeeds toKnow

Written for all educators but with an emphasis on those at the secondary level, this important resource shows how to develop programs that truly prepare students for both the Common Core assessments and for college and career readiness. Based on multiple research studies conducted by Dr. David T. Conley, the book provides specific strategies for teaching the Common Core State Standards in ways that improve readiness for college and careers for the full range of students.

Recent Reviews

This book is a must-read for educational leaders, principals, teachers, and even parents. It explains how the Common Core was constructed, clarifying the roots of this movement and explaining where we go from here. Conley debunks the notion that the CCSS is just another passing educational fad. The book offers Common Core implementation strategies for administrators and teachers as they work to align their instructional practices with the higher expectations the CCSS embody.

David Conley's latest work is breathtaking in its scope and depth. Not only does he provide a history of the development of thinking regarding college and career readiness, but he also lays out specific steps that can be taken by schools and districts to ensure that all students have adequate instruction and support to develop the skills necessary for college and career readiness. If the recommendations in this book were to be implemented, it would constitute a true transformation of the current educational system. This is a must-read for educators at all levels.

David Conley is central to America's most important economic development initiative—the quest to boost college and career readiness of America's youth. Everyone who cares about education should read this book for an exploration of the four keys to college and career readiness. Educators will appreciate Conley's take on deeper learning strategies and assessments, his call for more (and better) writing, and his plea to integrate math across the curriculum. The appendix is a valuable nine-part readiness system. This is a timely and important resource.

This book confirms David Conley's place as America's foremost expert on college and career readiness. It will serve as an invaluable guide to parents, public officials, and educators at all levels who are struggling with these issues. It is a timely and invaluable resource to practitioners.

David Conley provides a comprehensive view of what it takes for the youth of America to be college- and career-ready and relates it to the Common Core State Standards, so educators can easily see how the efforts support each other. Conley not only provides a road map of what it will take to align instruction and assessment to improve college and career readiness for all students in this new era of Common Core, he also addresses important issues of student motivation and ownership of their learning and makes clear that college and career readiness is a long process, which starts in elementary school and involves educators at all levels. This book provides both a high-level understanding of the key issues and also practical, time-tested strategies and tools to help students succeed.

David Conley's passionate, relentless, and lifelong commitment to college and career readiness is the basis of this thoughtful and actionable book for educators and policymakers who are serious about giving every child a shot at the American dream.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. David T. Conley conducts research on issues related to college readiness, college and high school course content analysis, high school–college alignment and transition, and large-scale diagnosis and assessment of college readiness. He is the CEO and CSO at the Educational Policy Improvement Center, professor and Director of the Center for Educational Policy Research (CEPR) at the University of Oregon, and President of the EdImagine Strategy Group. His findings have been published in numerous technical reports, conference papers, book chapters, and journals, such as Education Week, Educational Administration Quarterly, Educational Policy, and Educational Leadership.